Lighters vs Matches
- Thread starter TheOccasionalPuffer
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Like most of the others in this thread, I agree that it is what you are most comfortable with, and can be a product of what you first used and what works.
For me, I started smoking pipes with my dad, and we would always smoke outside in the evenings. He would use a safety lighter, which he had for lighting the barbecue. They always work for me and you don’t have to worry about wind and burning your fingers.
Then my wife introduced me to the candle lighter version, which is similar but has a shorter extension. I really like them as it also produces a soft flame and keeps from burning the fingers.
For me, I started smoking pipes with my dad, and we would always smoke outside in the evenings. He would use a safety lighter, which he had for lighting the barbecue. They always work for me and you don’t have to worry about wind and burning your fingers.
Then my wife introduced me to the candle lighter version, which is similar but has a shorter extension. I really like them as it also produces a soft flame and keeps from burning the fingers.
I really prefer lighters to matches. Not just for practical reasons (carrying a box of matches vs. a lighter when I step out of the house).
Now this is a tip I’ll be remembering. I’d guess this same method would count for those “forever matches” as well since it’s the same thing more or less.
Had a customer back in my smoke shop days who would only smoke with a hemp wic by lighting it first and then using it in order to reduce the “butane taste” they described. Was debating trying this out with my pipe, and might still - for science - but from what I gather from your comment, it sounds like kerosene removes that need as long as you’re willing to wait a couple seconds.
I have some monkey pod wood that has been sitting around. Now I have an inspiration for what to do with it. Please share if you make another stand. I think it’s cool.
Matches are the cleanest light. I use matches exclusively. Take a brand new pipe that you've never smoked from, drop a lighter into the empty bowl and take a few draws, as if you were lighting your tobacco. Do this with a butane lighter and with a kerosene wick lighter. Enjoy the pleasant chemical flavors of butane gas and lighter fluid? If you don't want that in your tobacco, go with paper or wooden matches. You can get 50 matchbooks (1000 matches) on Amazon for like $7.
Moving from a butane Zippo to wooden matches (Strike on Box) was the secret sauce for me. After a few weeks, I discovered that I had banished tongue bite. With the lighter flame, I was scorching my tobacco. With the match, I was only getting it smoldering.
At first, I was going thru 20 matches per bowl. But, after a few months, I became pretty adept. Now I can light a bowl with a match outdoors with a breeze.
I still bring a lighter for really windy days, but 99% of my bowls are match lit. I do have glass pipe ashtrays on both porches, in the sunroom and garage. Sometimes I forget to dump them, which is a sure fire way to anger Mrs. Jones.
Practice makes perfect with the match. I did score several boxes of "Strike Anywhere" matches down here at a old time hardware store.
At first, I was going thru 20 matches per bowl. But, after a few months, I became pretty adept. Now I can light a bowl with a match outdoors with a breeze.
I still bring a lighter for really windy days, but 99% of my bowls are match lit. I do have glass pipe ashtrays on both porches, in the sunroom and garage. Sometimes I forget to dump them, which is a sure fire way to anger Mrs. Jones.
Practice makes perfect with the match. I did score several boxes of "Strike Anywhere" matches down here at a old time hardware store.
I keep reading that matches are cleaner, but the chemicals that allow them to combust when they are struck is much dirtier that pure butane. If you wait long enough for them to burn off the chemicals you’re risking charred nubs. I still maintain butane lighters are the cleanest.
Ranked from cleanest to dirtiest (used properly):
It’s gotta be true, I read it on the Interwebs!
Ranked from cleanest to dirtiest (used properly):
- Quality butane lighter
- Wooden matches (allowed to burn off first)
- Liquid fuel lighters
It’s gotta be true, I read it on the Interwebs!
